Voter approval for a full-time prosecutor in Ripley County has created an open door for write-in candidates for the Nov. 8 general election.
Deadline for write-in candidate filing for county offices is 5 p.m., Oct. 28. Filing must be done at the office of Michael Williams, the county clerk. He is the election authority for Ripley County.
According to Section 115.453(4) RSMo., write-in candidates must be someone whose name is not printed on the ballot.
Ripley County currently has no candidates on the ballot for the office of prosecuting attorney. Therefore, write-in candidates need not file a declaration of intent, according to statute.
In order to file, candidates must show proof of identify, either a voter identification card, Missouri driver’s license, birth certificate or other form of certified identification.
He or she must also produce a copy of an affidavit filed with the Department of Revenue. A copy of the form can be found at http://dor.mo.gov/forms/5120.pdf.
Further information about this requirement can be found online at https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/candidates.html.
Prosecutor’s salaries are mandated by the state. As a full-time position, the job will pay about $150,000.
To cast a vote for a write-in candidate, voters must write the name of the candidate on the designated line, then completely blacken in the oval next to the line.
Votes that aren’t blackened in will not be counted.